My handmade soap is making my skin feeling dry

[penelopejane]

I concur with TEG and would like to echo a sentiment from penelopejane...

If one is allergic to something in a soap recipe, one way of isolating it might be to start with the simplest recipes (a 100% CO bar with a high SF and a 100% OO bar) and see if there are any reactions to those... and if not then make a CO-OO bar with the next ingredient you want to test and so on.

The OO would be problematic since it takes so long to cure but you might be able to get a 100% OO bar from a friend who has a few extra.

The only reason people like to cure 100% OO soap is because it tends to be soft when used after a short cure. You will be able to use it and see if or if not you are allergic to or irritated by it after a short cure. It's just that it will be better after a long cure.

 

[christost7]

The only reason people like to cure 100% OO soap is because it tends to be soft when used after a short cure. You will be able to use it and see if or if not you are allergic to or irritated by it after a short cure. It's just that it will be better after a long cure.

That is very true, but I am think about this.

What if I try a 100 OO soap that is 8 weeks cured and it dries/irritates the skin, while the exact same soap does not any of that after a much longer cure?

Then I will have dismissed Olive Oil for nothing.:-?

 

[Susie]

I vote down 100% OO soap because of the snotty lather. Sorry, it is just repulsive to me. However, penelopejane has a point. Usually the two reasons people avoid "young" olive oil soap is snotty lather and how quickly it goes down the drain. Normally people do not have dry skin from young olive oil soap, provided it is given a minimum 6-8 week cure.

When isolating allergens, it is important to start with the least likely items to rule them out first to give you a product to try and have it act like sort of "control" test. For example, if you go to an allergy doctor, they always have one scratch/prick that is a non-allergen to see if you are just reacting to being stuck. If that is positive, you are just reacting to everything, and they need to try something else.

So it is with soap. The least likely oils to trigger a reaction are 1) ones that you have very seldom come into contact with (castor oil), and 2) ones that have the least number of proteins capable of triggering a reaction.

Animal fats are the most similar to oils produced by humans, so they pose the least danger.

Olive oil allergy is extremely rare, and usually caused by adulterated olive oil. (http://allergieslist.com/olive-oil-allergy-symptoms-treatment/)

Once you have ruled out those three oils, you can make a soap to add varying oils and butters to to try to rule out particular ingredients. You will also have a soap to fall back on if you react to a soap, as you need to not test another potential trigger until the skin reactions are completely gone.

I understand that people have reasons to avoid animal based oils. I am not trying to force anyone to my way of thinking. However, if that reason is neither religious nor required by some other mandate (such as veganism), then using animal fats is a valid step to at least identify what oils one is reacting to. You can stop using them as soon as you figure out a recipe you can reliably use.

 

[Soapa]

Change the superfat amount to 7 percent and see if that helps. Make one pound test batches of your recipe until you find the right superfat amount for you. I never set single digit superfat percentages anymore. It was too drying for my skin. I can now make a 100 percent coconut oil soap that leaves a light layer of coconut oil on my skin that absorbs right away. I am rarely dry.

Change the superfat amount to 7 percent and see if that helps. Make one pound test batches of your recipe until you find the right superfat amount for you. I never set single digit superfat percentages anymore. It was too drying for my skin. I can now make a 100 percent coconut oil soap that leaves a light layer of coconut oil on my skin that absorbs right away. I am rarely dry.

This is in response to handmade soap drying to skin at 5 percent superfat.

But most website claims that handmade soap can do wonders to out skin... that it is not only clean but moisturize our skin at the same time. many articles I read also mentioned when using handmade soap, no lotion is needed thereafter. So , I guess not huh?

Example one of the website: http://patch.com/illinois/tinleypark/handmade-soap-vs-store-bought-soap-whats-difference

When I first began making soap the bar was wonderful, considering I previously only used store bought. Now that I've been making my own for a while, I know what superfat amount is good for my skin. Soapmakers have the option of raising or lowering the superfat in a batch. Superfat controls the amount of free oil (unsoaponifided) in a recipe. I rarely use lotion after bathing but since I make my own lotion, I do use it.

But most website claims that handmade soap can do wonders to out skin... that it is not only clean but moisturize our skin at the same time. many articles I read also mentioned when using handmade soap, no lotion is needed thereafter. So , I guess not huh?

Example one of the website: http://patch.com/illinois/tinleypark/handmade-soap-vs-store-bought-soap-whats-difference

Hi all thanks for your feedbacks.

Ok maybe the dryness on my hand is overly scary haha. Just above my elbow area also showing some flakiness after using my handmade soap.
Everyone is saying by using handmade soap our skin supposed to be moisturised by default without the need to apply lotion. I'm dissapointed that mine does totally the opposite. My skin feels better with the commercial ones instead.

On another thought, do you think it is possible for my to add glycerin in my cp soap to make it less drying? If yes, how much to add?

Yes, add a small amount of glycerine. Too much glycerine in the recipe makes for a sticky soap and sticky skin. Soapmaking process already makes glycerine in the batch, which is why homemade soap tends to not strip the skin.

The dry and tight feeling can be explained by the use of the 2 week cured bars - very common for uncured bars to cause that. The pH of the soap slowly continues to decrease as the soap cures which is why most soapers recommend a 4 - 6 (even longer) cure time. And just wait until you've been soaping long enough to pull a 1 year old bar of soap off the shelf and give that a whirl! It's awesome!

Your skin makes me think something else is going on. Maybe a lye heavy soap, maybe a sensitivity, maybe something not even related to your soap.

What kind of scale do you have to weight the lye, btw?

How about trying some different recipes - maybe one without olive oil, and one with a lower amount of coconut oil (or babassu oil in place of it)?

Handmade soap contains glycerin already. That bottle of glycerin sitting on the shelf in the store? Like came from a commercial maker of soap - they extract the glycerin to sell as a separate product. You can add a small amount (someone else here will need to give you amounts) but it can detract from the quality of the soap.

I agree with long cure soap. I just used a one and a half year cured 100 percent olive oil soap and it is so conditioning. I wash my hair and skin with it. Of course, I used a higher superfat (I forget at what rate).

Thank you for the suggestions everyone.

I must admit that I feel a little confused/baffled right now.

There are so many variables (oils, colorants, EOs) that need to be reconsidered until I find the reason for the slight dryness and itchiness.

I like to cure my soap for 3 months, so the trial period will take for ever.

Tonight I will make the simplest soap I have ever made : 45 palm, 20 olive, 20 sunflower, 10 shea butter, 5 castor, sugar for the bubbles, no color, no scent and start from there..

Experiment with high superfat recipes. Start at seven, then 10 percent and see if there is a difference. Small one pound batches for tests.

 

[shunt2011]

I SF at 5-7 these days. Any higher and you will notice a difference in your lather. The only time I go higher is with 100% CO soaps then I go 17-20%. Too high of a SF will those free oils on your skin in a regular bar of soap. And I for one don't want that.

 

[Rainy2d2]

I've made few batches of cp soap early november. After curing for more than 8 weeks I am excited to finally get to use them! However, after 3 showers I notice my skin started peeling
Gave some out to family and friends, which sadly they also finds it drying.
I don't think it is lye heavy as I've tested its ph on litmus paper (ph is between 9-10) and did the cabbage test and the color is blueish.

Recipe #1:
40% olive oil, 20% coconut, 20% palm, 10% shea butter, 10% castor, 5% superfatting, no eo/fo

Recipe #2:
40% olive oil, 20% palm, 15% coconut, 15% rice bran, 10% castor, 5% superfatting, no eo/fo

I've also done up hp, by using the same recipe as above and left it cure for 2 weeks before using. It also does the same to my skin - drying.

Please, can anyone tell me what went wrong with my recipe or method?

The dry skin feeling could also mean that you and the persons using the soap are dehydrated. Dehydration can cause the skin to be itchy. This is what I've read.

 

[PatrickH]

My skin also feels dry with my homemade soap, but not on that high of level, just feels tight.

 

[Soapa]

Olive oil extends the cure time

It could be several things. YOu could be sensitive to Coconut. May just need a longer cure. Maybe you need to up your SF a tad.

As long as your soap didn't zap and it's had a good cure you just may need to tweak your recipe some and keep trying till you find what works best for your skin.

Maybe lower your CO to 10% or lower for that matter.

In my experience I've found that something I didn't like (Castille, Aleppo Style) when first made or even a year out I was liking it a whole lot better at longer than a year.

There are so many reasons a soap doesn't feel good on the skin and that will vary from person to person.

I heard olive oil extends the cure time. Maybe only 20 percent olive oil.

 

[chibi-soap]

Could you have simply put in too much lye? Are your scales working properly? Do you measure to the gram? Could you have had brain fade and added too much?

 

[SaltedFig]

Someone resurrected this thread after 7 months of inactivity.

It's nice that you are helping Soapa and chibi-soap, but I got really confused until I went all the way back to the January posts to work out what you were talking about.

(I'm a bit sick atm, so not firing on all cylinders either)

 

[Steve85569]

Someone resurrected this thread after 7 months of inactivity.

It's nice that you are helping Soapa and chibi-soap, but I got really confused until I went all the way back to the January posts to work out what you were talking about.

(I'm a bit sick atm, so not firing on all cylinders either)

I never fire on all cylinders anymore...:mrgreen:

 

[chibi-soap]

Oh sorry... I didn't look at the date, I just got a link to the thread in the "what's hot this week" email generated by the site.:-?

Hope your feeling better. Hope the soap has stopped burning your skin.

 

[blazer9x]

My skin reacts like that too!
with bar soap and LS which I made..
I didn't know whats wrong with the recipe as I'm always following the measurement from Soapee Lye Calc..
Maybe the Lye is too strong or the Oil used contains many unsaps matter? Dunno..

Many tought that longer curing time would help.. Hmmm

 

[Susie]

My skin reacts like that too!
with bar soap and LS which I made..
I didn't know whats wrong with the recipe as I'm always following the measurement from Soapee Lye Calc..
Maybe the Lye is too strong or the Oil used contains many unsaps matter? Dunno..

Many tought that longer curing time would help.. Hmmm

If you live where there is hard water, your skin might always feel that way, I'm afraid. But if you share you recipe in weights (everything, including additives) and method, we can help you troubleshoot.

 

[blazer9x]

If you live where there is hard water, your skin might always feel that way, I'm afraid. But if you share you recipe in weights (everything, including additives) and method, we can help you troubleshoot.

Hard water can cause that??
When I'm showering with the Soap, the white scum on the floor is always noticeable! Like milk dilluted with water with ratio 1 milk : 2 water.. *sad*

My recipe with bar soap, here we go...
Coconut Oil, 76 deg : 250g
Olive Oil pomace : 150g
Palm Oil : 450g
Water : 250g
NaOH : 120g
Fragrance - Added at LightTrace : 20g
Made the bar soap at 8 Dec 2017. It is a very lovely bar soap!

I never tought that hard water can cause dryness / peeling feels on skin.. [emoji25]

 

[earlene]

Hard water can cause that??
When I'm showering with the Soap, the white scum on the floor is always noticeable! Like milk dilluted with water with ratio 1 milk : 2 water.. *sad*

My recipe with bar soap, here we go...
Coconut Oil, 76 deg : 250g
Olive Oil pomace : 150g
Palm Oil : 450g
Water : 250g
NaOH : 120g
Fragrance - Added at LightTrace : 20g
Made the bar soap at 8 Dec 2017. It is a very lovely bar soap!

I never tought that hard water can cause dryness / peeling feels on skin.. [emoji25]

You might want to try out a chelator to help reduce soap scum. Some residual soap scum also remains on the skin as well as scumming up your shower floor.

I use EDTA, but there are some here use Citric Acid to reduce soap scum. You can even add Borax to bath soap to help soften the water during a bath, but some folks view Borax as highly suspect or dangerous (I don't, but to each their own.)

As to your recipe, my skin would not like a 30% (rounded up from 29.41%) CO oil soap, so that could also be a part of the problem. But if you have hard water, can't add a water softener to your water system, then chelators in the soap are highly effective.

Here are some useful links from DeeAnna's soapy stuff info:

https://classicbells.com/soap/chelator.html (What are chelators anyway?)

https://classicbells.com/soap/EDTA.html (Tetrasodium EDTA)

https://classicbells.com/soap/citricAcid.html (Citric Acid)

 

[blazer9x]

You might want to try out a chelator to help reduce soap scum. Some residual soap scum also remains on the skin as well as scumming up your shower floor.

I use EDTA, but there are some here use Citric Acid to reduce soap scum. You can even add Borax to bath soap to help soften the water during a bath, but some folks view Borax as highly suspect or dangerous (I don't, but to each their own.)

As to your recipe, my skin would not like a 30% (rounded up from 29.41%) CO oil soap, so that could also be a part of the problem. But if you have hard water, can't add a water softener to your water system, then chelators in the soap are highly effective.

Here are some useful links from DeeAnna's soapy stuff info:

https://classicbells.com/soap/chelator.html (What are chelators anyway?)

https://classicbells.com/soap/EDTA.html (Tetrasodium EDTA)

https://classicbells.com/soap/citricAcid.html (Citric Acid)

Tetrasodium EDTA isn't it?
I'm planning to use it also [emoji2]

In here, EDTA 4Na oftenly used for maintaining Accu battery. LOL!

 

[earlene]

Yes, Tetrasodium EDTA is what I use. That in combination with ROE in the oils, also helps prevent DOS, another good reason to use it, IMO.

 

[abby]

Your skin started peeling with a bar that had cured for 8 weeks? Or with the hot process bar that cured 2 weeks?

Check to make sure, (like mentioned above) that you had palm oil, not palm KERNEL oil in your recipe.

Did you, yourself, use a lye calculator, or someone's recipe with already calculated amounts? (checking to see if the recipe is off)

pH testing isn't accurate with soap

It's curious that many people thought the soap was drying. Can you give us an idea how many out of the number you gave soap to - found it drying? Did they get the 8 week cure, or the 2 week cured soap? (Hot process needs to cure as long at cp soap, so I can understand why the 2 week soap would be drying to a lot of people)

If most people received the 8 week soap, found it drying, then I think that points more toward a problem with the recipe calculation, measuring/scale problem, or having palm kernel oil (similar to coconut oil and strips skin's natural oils) instead of palm oil.

hi. I also have the same issue with my castile soap. It’s 4 weeks cured and i find it drying on my hands. I used a formula i found on youtube. I hope its just becuase it needs more time to cure thats why its drying. I used 16.6 oz olive oil, 5 oz water and 2.1 lye. What do you think?

 

[shunt2011]

hi. I also have the same issue with my castile soap. It’s 4 weeks cured and i find it drying on my hands. I used a formula i found on youtube. I hope its just becuase it needs more time to cure thats why its drying. I used 16.6 oz olive oil, 5 oz water and 2.1 lye. What do you think?

Castille needs a 12 month cure. I personally don't like castile. Find it's drying even at a year old but certainly much better than a young one.